PLEASE let the Northern Brewer buy-out be a hoax!

With AB-InBev buying up microbreweries across the country they are simply trying to control the growing competition due to people realizing what real beer tastes like. They can fool people for a while but new independent microbreweries will sprout up and gain followings like the originals did. The people want what the people want and that is craft beer, not mass-produced beer wearing a craft beer label. Just like every corporate merger in history, they say the product and quality that people have come to expect won't change, they say the local management and operations won't change, but a year or two later after the hubbub dies down they quietly corporatized the business to maximize profit and minimize variability. Why should anyone be surprised at this, corporations exist solely to make a profit for shareholders and if the profit does not increase on a yearly basis they restructure the corporation in order to do so.

In conclusion,
AB-InBev: WE ARE THE BORG. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED.

 

Resistance is futile.

 

I am with you!

 

Or they will just let the market do what it does, while enjoying reaping the profits instead of losing them.

They don't care what product of theirs it is you buy. Supplies? Craft Beers? Ready to Drink? It doesn't matter to them. The more they own, the more they make.

It really is just that simple. Of course, you could be mad at your favorite retailer for being a massive sell out. But oh no, its the parent companies fault for realizing opportunity?

I see.

 

Cheers to that. It almost makes me not want to order from them... but they carry some things I can't get elsewhere.

 

Ritebrew has Maris for $54 for 55#. My lhbs is over $100.00. The alos have golden promis for $60 for 55#. Also, I am not impressed with the quality of CMC and would not buy again.

 

Very few people who are alive have experienced the brunt of real monopoly power.

AB Inbev is not a monopoly because the retail market is defined as alcoholic beverages. If you don't like the selection or price of beer, then you can drink wine, whiskey and other spirits that are too numerous to list, hard apple cider, or any number of cordials and liqueurs. AB Inbev has almost zero percent market share and influence on distribution of those alcoholic beverages. In addition, you can also drink water, juice, pop, etc. Furthermore, the necessity of the product is also considered. Alcohol is not a necessity. Then you've got all the market-based factors, such as whether market share is increasing (no, AB Inbev's share is eroding), whether the market participant is able to use the market power to increase prices (no, beer prices are near historical lows when you account for CPI) or force out competitors (no, competitors are increasing), and whether there are any barriers to entry of competition (no, because brewery licenses are freely handed out if you fill out the paperwork and fulfill the reasonable requirements properly, and the only other barrier to entry is a modest amount of monetary capital).

Incidentally, the last time the DOJ tried to break up a monopoly, it blew up in their face (Microsoft) because they had no idea what they were doing.

Furthermore, the comments demonstrate a lack of understanding of how monopolies are controlled nowadays -- by prior approval. Any significant merger candidates need the advance approval of the US FTC and the EU. The monopoly arguments and decisions are made in advance because we know it's next to impossible to break up monopolies once they are formed by combination.

BTW, it amazes me what a bunch of whining babies home brewers can be. If you don't like NB, then go shop somewhere else. That's why it's a free market. Besides any LHBS near you, you've got the choice of at least a dozen reputable and high-volume online retailers who will ship to your door. (NB, MS, HBS, B3, AIH, Ritebrew, L2B, Rebel, Bell's, AHS, Label Peelers, Wine and Hop, the list goes on and on ...)

 

Wait... SAB Miller owns that brewery in Montana?!?!? I thought Whitefish, MT was so quaint. Those bastards get their hands on everything

 

tl:dr
Lol

They are certainly a monopoly in a lot of local markets that don't carry anything else on the shelves. And the possibility of a monopsony is present when they begin buying up the entire crop of certain hop varietals.

 

I stopped buying Elysian and 10 Barrel when they were acquired and many others in my area did as well. Coincidentally the average price of their beers went up in local stores because they made the price the same across the country no matter how close you are to the brewery. But I won't turn down a free beer at a party if someone else is buying

 

Hops go first, then malted grains will be purchased in totality and fed to those fat horses of theirs. Finally, they will acquire all the stocks of good brewers yeast. I have no idea what exactly they're going to do with it, surely they do not use the good stuff in their existing product lines.
Alas, woe is coming to us home brewers.
We must unite and plant owe own garden corners with grain and hops. Lest we be idled by those mean conglomerates.
Cheers.

 

I texted the NB text help number and asked "did NB seek to InBev?" The response was

"Thanks for your note. I cannot comment on any potential business partnerships, but I can tell you that we are always exploring ways to grow Northern Brewer and the homebrewing supply market. The homebrewing community is as diverse and passionate as ever and we are excited to continue supporting homebrewers excel at their craft and have the best beer experiences."

As long as they continue having deals...

 

They did switch up their yeast offerings. They sell "omega"yeast now. Maybe that's an InBev owned yeast supplier.

 

Simply not true. Omega is a small privately owned yeast cultivator/supplier here in Chicago. One of their guys is in my HBC.

 

LIAR!

 

I can confirm it's true.

All employees were rounded up, told the news and threatened to keep quiet, they don't want anyone to know.��

 

Dissenters have been shot?

 

Mitch Steele. He brewed for Bud for years before becoming the brewmaster of Stone. He would home brew while brewing for AB, and so would his coworkers. So some do it for money, but some brew because it's an opportunity. I would jump at the chance to brew for Budweiser or Coors. You still learn when you do that. For them, you'll learn quality control, efficiency, and consistence.

 

You can't fool us robb4952, if that is even your real name ... and I suspect it's not. That's just the sort of thing AB InBev would have one of their minions post here knowing we wouldn't believe it when in fact it's true.

Diabolical!

 

No that i have ever ordered from them and my LHBS are good enough to not bother, but it's sad to see this happen. If my order did not go out within a day or two I would never be a return customer anyways.

You have idea because it was already a big company if it was a fun place to work, being in the industry and all. My guess is that being a big corporation will suck the soul out of working there. I once visited an Inbev owned Microbrew Pub, I have never been so disappointed in a brewery visit. The people did not know their product or even seem to care about beer.

 

That would be why they keep buying out craft breweries and why they own more than anyone.

 

Troll, that will never happen. The law couldn't stop us and InBev doesn't stand a chance. Hell I buy most everything except large ticket items from my local homebrew shop ( keeps the money at home). If they buy BrewHardware, MoreBeer, or Electric Brewery then I'll get pissed. Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew;-)

 

Well they can't buy the Hardscrabble Brewery and y'll have my word on that.

 

Well, that anwsers that. Down with Northern Brewer. I only bpught a couple things anyway. Strictly Commercial!!

 

Wow.....So Northern Brewer has been bought out by InBev-AB????



Well, there's goes Brewing TV.

 

Or perhaps Chrysler. Or the Clinton Foundation. There is at least as much evidence to support either of those possibilities as InBev-AB

 

I haven't been able to get them on live chat for two days. Wanted to ask a question about a sale. I guess they don't get a sale to me.

 

Live chat is down while employees undergo retraining (submission) to Ab InBev standards. The drop outs have been terminated. Resistance is futile.

 

So my two boys have been playing InBev and Microbrewery (like cowboys and Indians) and InBev keeps winning.
Someday we will all look back on this day and sip our macro brew while wondering how we could have ever live without big brother InBev taking care of us...

 

I'm going to stop commenting on this thread - or even visiting it. Auggie Busch has his goons watching every move we make .. he knows who we are, where we live and what hops we buy. Be careful you guys.

 

Not necessarily. I was part of an acquisition for $65M of the [private] company I worked for, by a $10B+ publicly traded firm. Unlike most acquisitions, this one occurred very quickly and I doubt shareholders were given disclosure in advance.

I'm guessing that this acquisition would be so small that it wouldn't really require anything. It's playing at the margins.

 

Why didn't he learn to make better beer? Hahahahaha. I think Stone is overrated.

 

I stopped in the store today and asked an employee about it. He had no idea what I was talking about and I pointed him to this forum. Doesn't seem legit.

 

The rumor didn't push me at all, NB did. I paid for the order to be rushed and delivered on a Friday so I could brew Sunday. Days go by, order hadnt shipped. Emailed them saying if it couldn't show up Friday to cancel my entire order so I could purchase locally. Shipping was refunded and it was implied it would be here Friday. Showed up Monday and I missed my brew day and now have to wait close to a month for another available brew day.

 

I'm in a small town outside of Austin. I could go to AHS and spend around the same (I spend enough for free shipping at MB) but the traffic and terrible drivers typically keep me at home.

When in San Antonio I bought locally until the day the guy running the store stuffed me and gave me a hard time about his mistakes and poor service working out the refund, which took him several times. That's when I began shopping at MB.

I HATE InBev and refuse to buy any of their products. It has nothing to do with being a large company or not local. It has EVERYTHING to do with their business practices and ethics, or lack of. I've certainly drank a Coors at an event that carried nothing better.

 

Careful what you say. Even if you're in the next room, they can read lips.

 

All for Bev, Bev for All!

 

Oh no, now they've absorbed Chip as well!

 

I texted their chat line today got this response.

Thanks for your note. I cannot comment on any potential business partnerships, but I can tell you that we are always exploring ways to grow Northern Brewer and the homebrewing supply market. The homebrewing community is as diverse and passionate as ever and we are excited to continue supporting homebrewers excel at their craft and have the best beer experiences.

 

Now that's called working the system!!!